US Education Today and Tomorrow

Comments (0)

Transcript of US Education Today and Tomorrow

There are many challenges and opportunities in the United States educational system today. This presentation will provide information on the educational trends and future impacts of:1. Choice and Privatization2. Increased government involvement3. Reliance on technology 4. Globalization U.S. Education Today and Tomorrow Government Involvement GlobalizationA Shrinking World and What it Means for Education Reliance on Technology What the Future Holds There are many issues that will be facing teachers in the 21st century. The educational system is changing quickly. One overwhelming theme throughout all the changes is that teachers will need to expend a great deal of time and energy on professional development to make sure they are prepared to meet the challenges of today and the adventures of tomorrow. These are exciting times and I am excited to be a part of them. The rising trend of alternative educational sources means that more students will be moving from the traditional classrooms and exploring the choices available. These students will need teachers equipped with the necessary skills to meet their needs in a rapidly changing world. The government must determine how they will fund and manage these alternatives. Increased Choice and Privatization of Education Choice and the privatization of schools allow parents to enroll their children in a variety of programs to best serve their needs and improve their educational situation (Webb, Metha & Jordan, 2013).

Choice allows students to attend: Neighboring schoolsCharter SchoolsOnline SchoolsPrivate Schools Choice allows parents to transport their students to neighboring schools. Parents use this option to find better schools or send their children to safer schools. Choice garners support across the socioeconomic lines. (Webb, et al. 2013) Private schools in the United States are usually religious, though some are based on educational philosophies such as the Montessori schools. Private schools cost money to attend, often have a more stringent curriculum and currently have a 98% graduation rate. (Broughman, Swaim & Keaton, .2009) Online schooling allows students to take classes through the internet from their homes or computer labs at their schools. Online learning presents a wide variety of classes available, often far beyond what brick and mortar schools are able to offer. Online classes require a familiarity with technology and often is only available to affluent families. There has been evidence that minorities do not benefit equally from online schooling opportunities (Rauh, 2011). Charter school generally focus on specific subject areas, for example science or art. Charter schools can be ran by the state, but also may be operated in part by private businesses seeking to produce students with desirable skills (Webb, et al., 2013). The enrollment is chosen by a lottery system and is open to all students in a state. (Lawton, 2009). Trend predictions are based upon:1. Steady increase in the number of states providing choice options including vouchers and tax credits (Diperna, 2012)2. Steady increase in students using choice to change or improve their educational options (Diperna, 2012)3. Advances in technology that assist online choice programs (Rauh, 2011) Let's explore Choice Other Public Schools Charter Online Private What happens next? Traditionally state and local governments played strong roles in education. In the mid-60's the Civil Rights Act and the Elementary and Second Education Act passed leading to a precedent of Federal influence on education. Impact of NCLB and RTT Trends in Government and Education Trend predictions are based on Current Federal programs and acts influencing education: No Child Left Behind (NCLB)Race to the Top (RTT) No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Race to the Top (RTT) Mandated testing for schools to receive federal funds (Webb, et al., 2013)Schools must prove Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) based on test scores (Webb, et al., 2013)If schools do not meet AYP they face a series of required "improvements" (Vittori, 2012)Teachers must be highly qualified (HQ) (Webb, et al., 2013) Competitive grant program that requires specific points for qualification (Vittori, 2012)International benchmarked standards (Common core)Improve teacher qualityImprove data collectionStrategies to improve failing schoolsIncludes an emphasis on charter schools and choice The federal government will continue to reform education. This will result in more testing requirements and restrictive goals that will costs billions and may not result in the desired student proficiency. Teachers and administrators will be evaluated and their employment will depend on their competency as determined by a preset definition of HQ standards. This will include student evaluations. NCLB requirements will be waived upon states accepting Common Core. Charter schools will receive more focus. The Federal government has steadily increased funding to education, along with goal based data requirements (Vittori, 2012).Over 40 states have adopted Common Core and started devising teacher evaluation processes (Vittori, 2012).Several states have applied for and received waivers from NCLB (Webb, et al., 2013)President Obama and RTT supports charter schools (Webb, et al., 2013) Technology in the Classroom How We Can Predict the Future Trends of Technology Watch the video to see the next level of using technology in the classroom. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) What does STEM mean for education? The innovative world of technology inundates the next generation of students, sometimes referred to as the iGeneration (Rosen, 2011). Classrooms increasingly rely on technology, however are they implementing it to the fullest potential? Is technology just going to replace pens and paper or will it lead our students into the 21st century? What does the future hold and what are the challenges facing technology in the classroom? What Technology is Best? Funding Professional Development for Teachers Technology in Education Programs Problems Teach students to think critically about STEM (Barakos, Lugen & Strang, 2012) Prepare students for success in STEM fields so the United States can remain global leaders (Kelly, 2010) "Professional training does not end with the awarding of the degree or the professionallicense" (Webb, et al., 2013, p 36) Teaching with technology is a constantly evolving relationship as educational technology becomes more prevalent in classrooms. Teachers need to embrace the latest trends or they may become frustrated and ineffective in the 21st Century classroom (Barakos, et al., 2012). It is not only expensive to furbish schools with the necessary technology to be competitive, it is also expensive and difficult to find teachers qualified to teach technology. Most STEM fields pay much higher than teacher salaries (Barakos, et al., 2012) As technology evolves so quickly each school must first design specific goals they wish to meet before acquiring their technology.Some trends are leaning toward critical thinking applications and using technology to support all other disciplines rather then an individual discipline (Kelly, 2010). Other technology proponents propose focusing on programming and building computers (Barakos, et al., 2012). The Trends in Technology The role of technology in education will continue to grow. STEM will be part of it, but technology is present in all subjects and must be implemented to the greatest benefit.Teachers will need to be trained in using the technology that will be available.Administrators and tech committees will need to create educational programs that will allow students to succeed and be career ready. The "iGeneration" embrace technology and for teachers to reach students they also need to embrace technology (Rosen, 2011)The global economy will demand those entering the job markets to be versatile in technology (Barakos, et al. 2012)The Federal government has embraced the STEM program and will push technology into classrooms. Many schools already have gone "high tech" (Kelly, 2011) Globalization IssuesGlobal buzzwords: "Globalization: The development of multidimensionalrelationships and interdependent relationships amongnations and cultures throughout the world. (Webb, et al., 2013, p418) Trends in Globalization Reasoning Behind the Trends Intercultural SensitivityImmigrationOutsourcingGlobal EconomyGlobal Citizens(Graff & Labbo, 2009) Our planet is shrinking as technology and travel bring us closer. What do we need to do to prepare students for our "small world" Globalization and the Economy Literature to Teach Children To be successful in today's world children will need to have the skills to interact with the economies of other cultures. Children may need to be flexible enough to live and work in foreign countries for their professions (Graff, et al., 2009). Many resources existto help teachers find literature that will broaden the worldview of children and increase their intercultural sensitivity. Teachers can use print books or access websites such as the International Childrens Digital Library. (Graff, et al., 2009). Immigration and our own "global" country All the cultures of the world are represented in the United States. "The U.S. Census Bureau expects that by 2015, international migration will account for more than 50% of our nation’s population growth" (Graff et al., 2009, p. 8). Teachers must teach understanding and relate our shifting demographics to global understanding and the global community. Our world will continue to grow smaller and people will need to learn the skills and acceptance necessary to interact with all persons.Technology will play a large part in the globalization of the world, especially in the youth of today.Teachers will need to ensure they are playing an active role in preparing children for a global economy and world. The worlds population is increasingly mobile and as immigration records show the United States is still a top destination (Webb, et al., 2013).Technology is already bringing the world together, not only economically, but social and environmental awareness, especially through social media sites (Graff, et al., 2009). Barakos, L., Lugan, V. & Strang, C. (2012) Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM): Catalyzing Change Amid the Confusion. Center on Instruction. Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED534119.pdf

Viteritti, J.P. (2012). The Federal Role in School Reform: Obama’s “Race to the Top”. Notre Dame Law Review. 87(5) Retrieved from http://www.lexisnexis.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/hottopics/lnacademic/?verb=sr&csi=7377&sr=TITLE%28THE+FEDERAL+ROLE+IN+SCHOOL+REFORM%29+and+date+is+June+1%2C+2012